Axle-box



(No Model.)

A. S. VOGT.

AXLE BOX.

/ INVENTOR Patented vNov. 16, 1886.

WITNESSES:

FFICEe AXEL S. VOGT, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AXLE-BOX.

QPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,592, dated November16, 1886.

. Application filed May 4, 1886.

Serial No. 201,043. (Nu model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AXEL S. VOGT, of Altoona, Blair county, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Axle-Boxes,of which the following is a true and exact description, due referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention has especial reference to axleboxes for railway-cartrucks,which it is necessary to close tightly to prevent the entrance ofdust and grit, and which must also be easily opened for examination andthe renewal of the oil and packing.

The object of my invention is to provide a door or lid which when closedwill press firmly against its seat, and completely close the axle-box,and which when opened will remain open until forcibly closed; and itconsists in the devices hereinafter fully described, and which areillustrated in what I believe to be their best form by the accompanyingdrawings, of which Figure l is a central sectional elevation through theaxle-box and its lid; Fig. 2,a side elevation ofthe same; Fig. 3, afront view of that part of the hinge which is cast with the axle-box;Fig. 4, a perspective view of the same on the section w m of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a back view of the hinge put together; Figs. 6 and 7, side andfront views of the compress ing-arm. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustratingthe action of my device when in use.

A is the axle-box,having the rim a a around its open end made fiat andlevel.

13 is the hinge lug or section, secured to or cast with the box. Theform and construction of this hinge lug is fully shown in Figs. 3, 4,and 5. It is perforated longitudinally for the reception of thehinge-pin, as shown in Fig. 5, and at I), Fig. 4.

In the front of the hingelug B is an open slot, b, and at the top of theslot, and near the top of the lug, is a recess, 1), (see Figs. 3 and 4,)forming abearing for the compressing-arm E, Figs. 6 and 7.

b is a projection'on the back of lug B.

G is'the lid which closes the opening in the box A. If desired, it mayhave a rim of soft metal cast into a recess in its fittingface whichrests upon the rim a of the box.

a c are lugs perforated for the reception of c" is a curved hood whichprojects over the top of the hinge, covering the recess b, andterminating in a shoulder, 0 adapted to rest against the shoulder b whenthe lid is open.

0 is a hollow box or pocket cast in the lid 0 and open at the top.

D is a spiral spring contained in the pocket 0 The axial line of thepocket must be such as will when the lid is closed form a very obtuseangle, such as J K L, Fig. 8, with the compressing arm E, hereinafterdescribed, which angle will have its apex pointing toward the box.

E is the compressing-arm, having at its top,

circular projecting arms 6 e, which are adapted to rest in thehorizontal recess b, and at its bottom a plug, 0, adapted to enter thespring D, and a collar, 6, to rest against the end of the spring. Thiscollar 6 should be large enough to nearly fill the opening 0 though.

capable of moving freely in it. The shaft e of the arm E is of a sizewhirh permits it to move freely in the slot 1)". I

F is the hinge-pin; f, an elastic washer. f is a key to retain the pin FllLPltlCB. To secure the lid to its hinge, the compressing-arm E isfirst placed in its hearings band the spring D is placed in its boxc Theend 6 of the arm E is then inserted in the end of the spring and the lidOthen pressed upward into its proper position,whcn the perforations ofthe lugs B and 0 will be in line and the pin I F may then be inserted.The upper or hearing surfaceof the recess 1) should be made to projectforward sufficiently to prevent the end 6 of the compressing-arm E fromslipping out; but as an additional protection I provide the projectinghood 0 which will prevent the arm E from slipping out of place, and alsoserves as a shield to the hinge mechanism.

The operation .of my device will be readily understood, and isillustrated in the diagram, Fig. 8.

Then the lid 0 is closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the face of the lidis in the lineG H, Fig. 8, and the axial line of the arm E isrepresented by the line J K, while the line K L indicates the axial lineor line of pressure of the spring D, the points G and J being, re-

ICO

. of the bearings upon which the arm E turns.

As will be seen, the spring D being under compression, its power isexerted in this position to keep the lid 0 tightly pressed down upon itsseat, and the lid can only be opened by further compressing the spring.

G H and G H are two intermediate positions of the lid-face while beingopened, the corresponding axial lines of the arm E being shown by thelines J K and J K and of the spring D by the lines K L and K L", while GH shows the face of the fully-opened lid, the arm E being then indicatedby J K and the spring by K L As indicated by this diagram, the angle J KL becomes more obtuse as the lid is forced open until, after becoming astraight line, the apex of the angle reappears in the reverse directionand the force of the spring is then exerted to open the lid 0, theshoulders b and 0 serving as stops to prevent the lid from being toowidely opened. The pressure of the spring D is of course sustained bythe hinge-pin F, which is thus tightly clamped between the lug D andthe,

lugs c c. The elastic washer f, by drawing the key f tightly against thelug 0, also aids to prevent the pin being shaken loose by the motion ofthe car.

While, as I have stated, I believe the construction shown and abovedescribed in detail to be the best form in which my invention can beapplied, it can be varied in many particulars without departure from myinvention. Thus the pocket 0 may be dispensed with and the springsecured in some other way. The spring itself need not necessarily be aspiral, for any form'of spring may be used, care being taken that itshall transmit its pressure to the lid 0 in substantially the directionshown in the drawings, and, obviously, the form of the metalcompressingarm E may be changed in many Ways. The arms 6, for instance,may be dispensed with, and the arm E provided with a semi-cylindrical orspherical head, a fitting-socket being provided in its abutting place onthe box in place of the horizontal socket b, and of course other stopdevices may be substituted for the shoulders b and 0 nor need theabutting place be situated on the.

hinge-lug. Aseparate lug may be provided and opened substantially in theway indicated.

Having now described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an axle-box having a hinged lid, substantially as described, thecombination of a coinpressi ng-arm journaled or pivoted on the box, witha spring abutting against the lid and transmitting its pressure theretoin one direction and through the compressing-arm to the box in the otherdirection, substantially- .face when it is wide open.

3. In an axle-box having a hinged lid, substantially as described, thecombination of the socket b, situated on the box, the pocket 0, formedin the lid, the spiral spring D, and the compressing-arm E, pivoted atone end in the socket b, and having its other end inclosed in the pocket0 and resting against the spring D, all substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

4. In an axle-box having a hinged lid, the combination of the socket b,situated on the box, the lid 0, having a spring secured thereto,substantially as and for the purpose specified, and having a hood, 0,extending over and covering the socket b, and the compressing-armpivoted in the socket b and bearing against the spring, allsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an axle-box having a hinged lid, the combination of the hinge-lugB, havingabear' ing or socket, b, and a slot, b, extending downward fromthe bottom of said socket, the door or lid 0, having hingelugs c c, abox or pocket, 0?, and hood 0", extending over the open socket b, thespring D, and compressing-arm E, having arms 6 c, all substantially asand for the purpose specified.

AXEL S. VOGT.

Witnesses:

RIoHD. J. HILL, J r., JOSHUA MATLACK, Jr.

